Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp says Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard is right when he says young players have it too easy today.
Redknapp oversaw the development of Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole and Michael Carrick at West Ham but their apprenticeships were some of the last where cleaning boots was part of the job.
Teenagers now are tied to long professional contracts before they are old enough for the reserves, and looking after the footwear of a first-team player is gradually becoming a thing of the past.
"I'd have them doing it now but you'd be up before the Human Rights people," Redknapp said.
"Gazza (Paul Gascoigne) would have done it, David Beckham did it - he cleaned Neil Webb's. It's not a hardship to do it after training.
"It's just a bit of banter and you get a £50 tip at Christmas from the first-team player. It's all part of the banter at the training ground.
"Top pros would always keep the kids in their place until they developed and were good enough to come up and join them. That was the goal to aim for - not to walk in at 17 and get a car as good as the guys who are in the first team."
not gonna happen anymore la.